ICOM and its US committee back the Smithsonian within 24 hours of each other

ICOM-US, the American arm of the International Council of Museums, issued a statement on 11 August 2026 titled "ICOM-US Statement in Support of America's Museums," reaffirming principles of museum independence, integrity and public trust. ICOM, its parent body active in over 100 countries, followed with its own statement on 12 August, as reported by Artnews. Neither specified a triggering event at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.